Ski rack



March 27, 1951 p o 2,546,233

SKI RACK Filed Feb. 23, 1949 ED WA RD R PA NKoN/N Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,546,233 SKI RACK Edward Reinhold Pankonin, Newington, Conn. Application February 23, 1949, Serial No. 77,732

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a ski rack and more particularly to racks for supporting skis on a convertible type top of a vehiclesuch as an automobile.

Ski racks now available are generally of the typ'e'for use with vehicle tops of the so-called solid. type which comprise a rigid metallic shell sufliciently strong to support directly thereon considerable weight. Such racks therefore usually include footed members which directly engagethe upper surface ofsuch a solid top, rubber suction cups sometimes being employed on the ends of said footed members for direct engagement with the top. Tie means are also usually secured to said rack and to the rain gutters on such tops to hold the footed members of the racks in engagement with the top and also to prevent lateral shifting between the racks and top. Thus, the rigid nature of such tops and the presence of rain gutters thereon serve as means with which the ski racks and the securing means therefor engage to attach the racks to the top.

Convertible style tops of the types now used,

on automobiles comprise a foldable skeletal frame covered with flexible material such as canvas, water-proof fabric, or the like. The tops therefore do not have rigid surfaces and no rain gutters are usually provided. Thus, use of now available ski racks with such convertible type tops is infeasible.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a ski rack so constructed that it is rigidly attachable to a convertible style top in a manner so as to be able to support appreciable weight without damaging the top construction. or bearing upon the covering material thereof.

A corollary of this object is to provide on the ski rack means to attach it to certain members of the frame of a convertible style top and provide onsaid attaching means further means to receive the edge portions of the top covering which are adjacent the frame members to which the rack is attached.

' Another corollary of this object is to provide on the rack means by which the rack may be quickly and rigidly secured to the frame of the top, without requiring any modification of said frame or the covering thereof.

Details of this object and corollaries, the invention, and other objects thereof are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

' Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion ofa convertible or foldable style automobile top having fixed thereto a pair of ski racks embodying the present invention.

is a fragmentary and partially sectioned member ID which is sufiiciently long to extend vertical elevation of one end of a ski rack embodying the present invention and illustrating: the same secured to a part of the foldable frame of the top illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical end view of the construction shown in Fig. 2, the bracket shown in said view preferably being for use on the forwardv portion of the foldable frame of the top.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3.. but showing a bracket suitable for use on the.

rearward portion of the frame of said top.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating another embodiment of bracket attaching means.

In this specification and the appended claims, the term ski rack has been used to indicate a rack which is customarily used to hold skis but. such racks are also adapted to be used for other.

purposes such as supporting such things as luggage, sporting equipment, lightweight boats,

canoes, and numerous other objects of such,

weight that they are suitable to be supported on racks of this nature for transportation by an automobile. Thus, the term ski rack is not to be considered to be restrictive to the racks being used to support only skis, since such racks may be used to support other objects of the afore-- mentioned nature.

Referring to the drawings, the ski rack comprising the present invention consists of a crosstransversely across the top [2 of an automobile. Said top is of the foldable type and comprises a collapsible or foldable frame of which longitudinal channel members 14 comprise parts normally extending substantially horizontally at each side of the top. Held in stretched position on the frame is a flexible covering [6 which may be of canvas, water-proof fabric or any other suitable water-repellent material. Normally, no

- rain gutter is provided on such tops and covering 16 terminates in a vertical edge [8, the contour of which conforms to the edges of the window 2i] and door window 22.

The cross-member ll) of each rack also has one are held inv such relationship by a brace 38 which is securely fixed to said portions such as by welding, riveting, or the like. The portion 34 also has secured thereto a channel member 40'; which receives one end portion of the cross-5' 3 member In and is securely joined thereto by rivets or bolts 42.

The lower end of the portion 36 of the bracket is provided with means which engage one of the longitudinal channel members I4 of the frame or foldable top. Said means is formed by bending upon said portion an extension 43 of the portion 36 to form a space 44 which accommodates the edge I8 of the flexible covering I6 of the top. Said extension 43 is further bent to provide a U-shaped member 46 and the sides of said U-shaped member engage opposite sides of the channel member I4 a illustrated in Fig. 2'. The member 46 is also preferably somewhat flexible so that the sides thereof may be drawn toward each other by means of one or more bolts 48 extending through horizontally aligned holes inthe legs or sides of the member 46.

- The free end 50 of the member 46 is also preferably bent slightly toward the extension 43 of the rack so as to provide means which extend a limited amount beneath the under surface of the channel member I4 to provide means which; when the sides of the member 46 are drawn toward each other into firm engagement with the sides of the channel member I4, will prevent upward movement of the bracket relative to the channel member I4.

The inner surfaces of the sides of the member 46 are arranged to firmly grip the outer surfaces of the channel member I4 when the sides of the member 46 are drawn into clamping position by means of bolts 48 which pass through the legs or sides of the said U-shaped member. The frictional engagement between the juxtaposed surfaces of the member 46 and channel member I4 will normally be sufiicient to prevent any relative movement between the bracket 32 and the channel member I4.

- To ensure against any relative movement in the event any should develop between these members due to vibration during use, for example, the bolts 48 preferably engage the uppermost edge of the channel member I4, as viewed in Fig. 2', and the righthand side of the member 46, as viewed in Fig; 2, is also provided with an inwardly struck ear 52 which is positioned to en gage the upper surface of the lowermost side of the channel member I4. The bolts 48 and ear 52 thus prevent any downward movement of the brackets relative to the frame of the top. As shown in Fig. 3; the bolts 48 are arranged in spaced relationship in the extension 43 and U- shaped member 46 to stabilize the bracket against tilting or movement longitudinally of the top.- Also', inasmuch as the bent end 50 of the member 46 preferably extends the full length of the member longitudinally of the channel member I4, said end will also aid in stabilizing the bracket against longitudinal or tilting movement of the bracket relative to the top.

- It will be seen from the foregoing that the brackets 32 at each end of the cross-member I0 will serve to support the cross-member in spaced relationship to the upper surface of the covering I6 of the top and no portion of the rack will be in bearing engagement by the covering I6 since the brackets 32 of the rack are supported entirely by the frame of the top and particularly the longitudinal channel members I4 thereof.

Ski racks are generally used in pairs on an automobile top and it is desirable that said racks be spaced apart an appreciable distance such as illustrated in Fig. 1. Such spacing necessitates one of the racks being affixed to the top near the front end thereof and the other one as close to the rearward end of the top as the construction of the top will permit, as can be readily seen from Fig. 1. Thus, the channel members I4 to which the forwardmost rack is attached extends substantially horizontally and the Ushaped member 46 of the brackets may be shaped as shown in Fig. 3 so as to be attachable to such horizontal channel member. However, the brackets 32 of the rearwardmost rack are shaped as shown in Fig. 4 in order to permit the U-shaped member 46 thereof to be connected to the curved and sloping rearward portion of thechannel members I4 at each side of the frame of the top. Two bolts 48 are used in the bracket of Fig. 4 as in the bracket shown in Fig. 3, but the positions of the bolts in the former are such that they will both preferably engage the upper edge of the curved and sloping portions of the channel member I4 and thus stabilize the rack againstlongitudinal movement relative to said rearward portion of the frame.

In some automobiles having foldable tops, only the door is provided with a window and the contour of the edge of the flexible covering conforms to the edge of the window in the door. In this instance, the space between the forward and rearward edges of the door window is not as great as in the type of automobile illustrated in Fig. 1 which has an extra side window rearward of the window in the door. In order that the maximum amount of space might be obtained between the forward and rearward racks under these circumstances, the U-shaped member .6 such as shown in Fig. 4 may be utilized at each end of the rearward rack but, instead of the portion 36 extending vertically upward, the same may be shaped to extend rearward as well as upward in order to provide a maximum amount of space between the cross bars In of the forward and rearward racks.-

While the U-shaped member 46 provides con venient means for securing the brackets 32 of the racks to the frame of the top, it is possible to secure said brackets to the frame by eliminating all of each U-shaped member 46 except extension 43 and provide holes in said extension and the outer side of the channel member I4 which is juxtaposed thereto. The brackets could then be secured to the channel member I4 by bolts inserted through said holes.

Regardless of which of these above described two arrangements are used to secure the brackets to the channel members I4 of the frame, said brackets are easily fixed to said channel members by merely temporarily bending upward away from the channel member the lower edge I8 of the covering I6 of the top so as to permit the bracket to be placed in attaching position on the channel member It as shown in Fig. 2, securing the bracket to said channel member by either. of said above described arrangements and then restoring the edge I8 of the covering I6 to-its normal position which will then be Within the space 44 of the bracket I3. As will be seen from both Figs. 3 and 4, the bolts 48 are readily inserted in the holes therefor in the extension 53 as well as the U-shaped member 46 since the vertical portion 36 of each bracket is narrower than the space between the holes for said bolts to thus afford clearance to permit such insertion of the bolts.

Another type of means for attaching the brackets 32 to the channel members I4 is shown in Fig. 5. In said figure it will be seen that a separate U-shaped member 54 is secured to the which is similar to extension 43 of Fig. 2, said end 56 being fixed to one side of the U-shaped member 54 by any suitable means such as one or more bolts 58. The member 54 is also provided with a plurality of threaded apertures which receive a pair of horizontal bolts 66 and 62 as well as a vertically disposed bolt The horizontal bolts 60 and 62 respectively engage the inner surface of the highest side of the channel member M and the outer surface of the lowest side of said channel member. Such bolts provide very effective clamping means to secure the bracket to the channel member I 4. Vertical bolt 84 may be used to properly position vertically the bracket relative to the channel member M.

It will thus been seen that the brackets of the racks described hereinabove are entirely supported by the frame of a foldable type top and neither the weight of said racks or any load thereon is imposed upon the flexible covering lb of the top. Furthermore, the means by which the brackets are secured to the frame of the top are of such nature that they may be quickly attached to the frame so as to firmly secure the brackets thereto in a manner to resist both ver tical and horizontal movement as well as tilting of the racks relative to the frame. Said attaching means for the racks also includes frame en gaging surfaces by which the racks are quickly positioned upon the frame while being mounted thereon and the securing means maintain the racks in said positions.

Not only may brackets. described herein be embodied in newly manufactured ski racks but said brackets may also be readily and quickly attached to the cross-members of ski racks now in use, whereby said ski racks may be adapted quickly and effectively for use with foldable style tops of automobiles and similar vehicles.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment and has included certain details, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways, falling within the scope of the invention as claim-ed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ski rack for use on a vehicle top of the foldable type including frame members normally substantially horizontal in useand a flexible covering supported thereby, said rack comprising in combination a supporting cross member arranged to extend transversely across and above said top and having at each end bracket provided with reversely bent portions arranged to extend around and provide a space to receive side edge portions of the top covering and said bracket means also having surfaces engageable with said horizontal frame members of said top to support said cross member thereon and position it above said top, and attaching means operable to secure said bracket means in engagement with said frame members.

2. A ski rack for use on a vehicle top of the foldable type including frame members normally substantially horizontal in use and a flexible covering supported thereby, said rack comprising in combination, a supporting cross member arranged to extend transversely across and above said top and having at each end bracket means provided with reversely bent portions arranged to extend around and provide a space to receive side edge portions of the top covering and each of said brackets also having U-shaped means engageable with said horizontal frame members of said'top to support said cross member thereon and position it above said top, and attaching means operable to secure said U-shaped means in engagement with said frame members.

3. A ski rack for use on a vehicle top of the foldable type including frame members normally substantially horizontal in use and a flexible covering supported thereby, said rack comprising in combination, a supporting cross member arranged to extend transversely across and above said top and having at each end bracket means provided with reversely bent portions arranged to extend around and provide a space to receive side edge portions of the top covering and each of said brackets also having flexible U-shaped means engageable with said horizontal frame members of said top to support said cross member thereon and position it above said top, and attaching means comprising a bolt passing through the legs of said U-shaped means and operable to move the legs thereof into and hold them in firm engagement with said frame members to secure said bracket means thereto.

4. A bracket for a ski rack for use on a vehicle top of the foldable type including frame members normally substantially horizontal in use and a flexible covering supported thereby, said bracket comprising in combination two portions disposed substantially at a right angle to each other, one of said portions extending substantially horizontally in use and being connectible to a cross member of a ski rack and the other portion extending substantially vertically downward therefrom and being provided with a reversely bent portion arranged to extend around and forming a space adaptable to receive a side edge portion of the covering of a foldable type vehicle top, said other portion also having surfaces engageable with said frame members of said top to support said bracket and position the portions thereof vertically and horizontally above said frame.

5. A bracket for a ski rack for use on a vehicle top of the foldable type including frame members normally substantially horizontal in use and a flexible covering supported thereby, said bracket comprising in combination two portions disposed substantially at a right angle to each other, one of said portions extending substantially horizontally in use and being connectible to a cross member of a ski rack and the other portion extending substantially vertically downward therefrom and being provided with reversely bent portions forming a space adaptable to receive a side edge portion of the covering of a foldable type vehicle top and said other reversely bent portion being U- shaped and engageable with surfaces of one of the frame members of said top to support said bracket thereon and position it vertically and horizontally above said frame member, and attaching means comprising a bolt passing through the legs of said U-shaped portion and operable to move said legs and hold them in firm engagement with said surfaces of said frame member.

EDWARD REINHOLD PANKONIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,472,491 Peck Oct. 30, 1923 1,748,282 Ellis Feb. 25, 1930 

